Things to Do in Melbourne

For Erin Phelan, the busy mother of a 4-year-old, owning a children’s play center blends personal and professional pursuits. When the Play Plus for Kids owner comes to work, her youngster often tags along with her, zigzagging through the facilities during open-play time and exploring the indoor treehouse or bounce house alongside other inquisitive tots. Phelan's facility, which brims with opportunities for imaginative play, helps parents encourage their little ones to step away from the video-game controllers or tax audit forms in favor of hands-on recreation and learning in enrichment classes on music, art, and science.

When Mimi’s Crafts was founded in 1995, two dreams were fulfilled: Mimi turned her hobby of molding clay and painting ceramics into a full-time business, and her husband got his garage back. The walls of Mimi’s studio flaunt more than 1,500 blank ceramics, the vast majority of which were made in store. During pottery-painting sessions, visitors let their artistic instincts run wild as they daub figurines with scintillating paints, before their completed designs are immortalized in a fiery kiln. The studio’s experts stay on hand to offer helpful tips on stenciling, arranging color combinations, and forging Michelangelo’s signature. Aside from pottery-painting sessions, Mimi’s Crafts also hosts classes in the arts of glass fusing, clay molding, and acrylic painting.

Aboard a 35-foot vessel, DolFun Tours' US Coast Guard master captain guides guests on treks along the Indian River. After passengers select their spots from the boat's indoor and outdoor seating areas, expeditions traverse the river's diverse estuary, where more than 4,400 species of birds and fish dwell. As the ship drifts by, visitors can catch sight of manatees resting in their natural habitats and dolphins rehearsing lines before auditioning for the next Flipper remake. Along with daytime jaunts, DolFun Tours hosts sunset tours on select weekend evenings.

Visitors to Florida EcoSafaris at Forever Florida get a close look at the state's distinct flora and fauna during thrilling outdoor adventures. The Coach Safari whisks riders on a two-hour open-air jaunt through a 4,700-acre wildlife-conservation area rich with streams and forests. Naturalist guides delve into the natural history of the region's nine ecosystems, which house species including alligators, Florida panthers, and herds of roving photo opportunities. Visitors can also take in sweeping views of the nearby wetlands and their many residents, including countless kinds of birds and white-tailed deer. For equestrian adventurers, safaris on horseback take riders through scenic trails used by Native Americans in the 1500s.

Florida EcoSafaris' EcoPark adds to its Cypress Canopy Cycle adventure-which sends visitors rolling along steel cables in a suspended, pedal-powered cart that doubles as a spy machine for squirrels-with five new and recently renovated zipline adventures. Guests fly high through the air at 30 miles per hour with the Peregrine Plunge and Zipline Safari or leap off 55- or 68-feet platforms during controlled-free-fall adventures. No matter what activity guests participate in, Florida EcoSafaris donates a portion of all proceeds to the Allen Broussard Conservancy, an agency dedicated to the preservation of Florida's ecosystems and wildlife.

Harmony Golf Preserve is an award-winning golf destination that prized as a Top 10 Orlando Golf Course in 2011 from Golf Orlando Florida. Course architect and US Open Champion Johnny Miller designed a layout that would work in concert with the local wildlife. The result is a sprawling championship course that melds seamlessly with the natural wetlands and wooded thickets of the 260-acre wildlife preserve that surrounds it, earning the distinction of a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.

While acting as a haven for feathered and furred animals, the course challenges golfers with tricky doglegs and undulating terrain, culminating in the course’s signature 9th hole, whose treacherous sand bunkers and water to the left of the green demand precision off the tee or a generous bribe to the mulligan maestro hiding in the thickets.

During course play, players can stop at a beverage cart or at the Grill on the Turn to refuel. After penciling in their final score, golfers can savor artisanal dishes and bask in the elegant, old-Florida atmosphere maintained by Graze, the clubhouse restaurant. Harmony Golf Preserve also helps players of all stripes cultivate their skills and clubbing techniques at The Performance Academy, while budding golfers can equip themselves with brand-name equipment and apparel from the pro shop.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 7,428
• Course rating of 76.1
• Slope rating of 136
• Take a virtual course tour
• Five sets of tee boxes

Space Coast Segway Tours' battery-operated two-wheeled segway machines turn palm-tree-lined pavement into a playground during guided trips through Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. Starting at the Ron Jon Cape Caribe resort, experienced segway savants lead upright wheelers on a voyage that explores the Port Canaveral cove, passing scores of envious segwayless humans along the way. Manatees and dolphins cheer on riders from the water as the group makes its way to Bluepoints Marina, stopping at Auddino’s Italian Bakery for a quick cookie refuel. Cocoa Beach trips leave from the Hilton and meander across the boardwalk, testing out wheel-legs as they pass by the Ron Jon Surf Shop and make the trek off the beaten path in Lori Wilson Park. Additionally, mini segway tours offer 20-minute footless treks that can be scheduled during your lunch hour or your boss's naptime.